Water, Earth, Fire, Air, and Force
by SaberWolfe
Summary: A young Jedi Knight crash lands on an un-named and unexplored world. A world where people control the elements themselves. A world. At war. Can he help bring peace to this world, or will his very presence upset what balance remains in this world? Please Read/Review. I want to know if this is worth continuing.
1. Chapter 1

"SYSTEM ERROR: Hyperdrive damage, exiting hyperspace now!" screamed the ship's computer.

"Blast" Jayden said as the white streaks out side the canopy of his Jedi starfighter reversed to a serene starry void. He gazed out the transparisteel canopy and noticed a bluish planet off to his left and nearly behind him. "Well, at least we survived the jump and I'm not in the midst of the war anymore. R4, scan coordinates. what system are we in?" After a series of beeps and whistles, the ships computer responded in place of the red droid sitting in the nose of the fighter, "System unknown, coordinates unavailable, star patterns match nothing in the known galaxy."

"You must be joking." he said as he brought the small fighter around to face the planet. "Then what planet is this?" he asked.

"Planet does not match any known system. Data inconclusive."

Jayden was regretting having the voice programming loaded into his starfighter. He thought back to when he had asked Dak to install it. _He would be laughing hysterically if he could see me now, _he thought. "Run diagnostics and perform a scan of the planet, I'd like to know if it's habitable before I try to land."

"Confirmed. Beginning planetary scan and system diagnostics."

Jayden sat back to relax and meditate, it had been a nerve racking course of events. He remembered being sent on the mission with his master, their starfighters flying so close they could have touched. The mission sounded simple, find and take out the flagship of the separatist army and destroy the shields and drives, leaving it open for boarding. there was very precious cargo aboard that ship, but he hadn't been told what it was, only his master, Faerin Xonn. But it was not to be, as soon as they left hyperspace everything went wrong. It was almost as if the Separatists had been waiting on them. they met with droves of vulture droids immediately, breaking through the first wave they headed for the flagship only to be met with more resistance. Their shields were fading fast. Victory became impossible.

"Fall back . Retreat." came the order from Faerin.

"But Master.." he started to object, "the mission."

"I'll handle it, trust in the Force Jayden, and Run!"

That was the last thing his master said to him. Jayden saw his starfighter become a fireball in the next instant and felt his master's presence in the Force vanish. The next few moments were a blur, he remembered feeling the force flow throught him as he squeezed the trigger, letting two proton torpedos go in the direction of the flagship. Still guided by the Force, he punched a random set of numbers into the navicomputer and activated the hyperdrive. his craft turned away from the battle and the pinpoints of lights that were the stars began to streak toward him.

Jayden was jarred out of his reverie by the computer's mechnical voice, "System diagnostic and planetary scan complete. Which results would you like first?"

"Planetary," he said as he noticed the planet was getting closer.

"Planet is habitable. Surface air is condusive to human respiration. Many habitations exist on the planet's surface along with a wide variety of life forms. No significant electrical discharge found."

"Wait, what? No electrical discharge? What about reactors, power grids, anything." jayden said as he sat up straighter.

"I'm sorry, readings indicate no significant form of electricity exists." the computer repeated.

"And why is the planet getting closer? I didn't order you to begin a descent."

"Would you like the system diagnostic results?"

"Yes! You infernal computer!" Jayden snapped.

"Hyperdrive damaged, Inoperable. Primary drive damaged, inoperable. Shield generator damaged, functional. Weapons systems, functional. Flight control system damaged .."

"So we're a floating paperweight, is that it?" Jayden interrupted, "Wonderful, can we at least land safely?"

"Chances of successfully landing in this condition are four hundred, twenty-three thousand and seventy-eight to one."

"Divert all remaining power to forward shields and reverse thrusters and hope to be headed for water." Jayden said as the ship began to enter the planets atmosphere.

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

"I don't see why we need to go to the earth kingdom now. We need to find a water bending master first, don't we?", Sokka complained from the back of Appa's saddle.

"Yes, but we will need more supplies. It'a long journey to the north pole." Katara replied.

"Yeah, I know but.."

"Whoa! It's a shooting star!" exclaimed Aang from his seat atop Appa's head.

"But it's still daylight," Sokka said," and it won't even get dark for a while."

"I know, but look!" Aang said as he pointed at the fiery streak surging across the sky ahead of them.

"It looks like, it's falling," Katara offered.

"Let's check it out!", Aang yelled and steered Appa to follow the star's earthbound path.

And still elsewhere... on the deck of a metal ship.

"Look, Zuko!" A short paunchy gray-haired man exclaimed, pointing at the sky.

"What? Where? Is it the Avatar?" Prince Zuko asked as he drew out a spyglass.

"Even better, a shooting star. Quick Zuko, make a wish," the old man said as he closed his eyes and put his hands together.

"I don't have time for wishes," Zuko said exasperated, "I'm looking for the Avatar! Besides, that's just a meteorite. Shooting stars come out at night, it's not even noon yet. Stop wasting my time , Uncle." Zuko turned around and strode away angrily, barking orders at the crew to change course.

"Does that mean, that my wish won't come true?", Uncle Iroh asked pausingly, a dejected look across his face. "And I was really looking forward to finding a good jasmine tea at our next port." Drool appeared at the corners of his mouth as he gazed starry-eyed at the free-falling meteor, which was getting ever closer to the horizon.

Just then, a bright green flash seemed to shoot from the bottom of the meteor causing the ocean to erupt beneath it. A giant plume of water shot skyward like a great hand reaching out to grab the meteor from the sky and drag it down into it's murky depths. General Iroh's eyebrows shot up in surprise, followed quickly by an almost comical, offset look of confusion, and finally narrowed with mild suspicion.

Jayden called upon the force to hold the steering yoke straight as the planet surface rapidly approached. "These starfighters have the glide characteristics of a free-falling bantha! Fire reverse thrusters, maximum burn. Ready forward laser cannons, I want just enought energy for one shot, need to break the surface tension of the water"

"Impact imminent . System error. Impact imminent"

"Can it! I know we're gonna crash."

"Surface impact in ten seconds. Nine seconds. Eight seconds. Seven. Six. Five. Four..."

"Fire!"

The ship lurched as the laser cannons fired. The surface of the water beneath the ship exploded.

"Two. One."

With an even more explosive splash the starfighter hit the water. Coming upright from its nose-down dive, the starfighter leveled out slightly underwater. Jayden grabbed his re-breather from his utility belt. "Open the emergency supplies kit compartment." No response. He reached up and punched in a code on the instrument panel and saw the compartment in the nose open, its contents floating up and out. Putting his rebreather in his mouth, he drew out one of his twin lightsabers and ignited its deep saphire blade. It seered through the transparisteel canopy in no time, letting water rush in. Jayden knew he had to equalize the pressure before the hatch would open. he extinguiished his lightsaber and reattached it to himself and waited for the cabin to fill with water. It filled quickly and he pulled the emergency hatch release and the canopy floated free. He extricated himself quickly from the sinking starfighter and swam to the surface.

Once he had reached the surface and cleared his vision he noted the amount of wreckage floating around him. He visually scanned the waves for his emergency kit which was floating a short ways away and swam to it. It had a strap connected to it which he wrapped around his body, then swam for the nearest piece of wreckage that was big enough to hold onto and hopefully float for a while. Once there, he began contemplating what to do next. There was no land to be seen in any direction, only one sea going vessel to be seen on the horizon, but it seemed to have turned away. _Was that a dark plume of coal smoke rising from it?_, Jayden wondered to himself. Finally, he submitted himself to having to rely on the force to get him out of this one.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka all saw the flash of light from the shooting star, or falling meteorite, whatever it was, and the following explosion in the water.

"What.. was that?" Sokka asked with a dumfounded look on his face.

"I don't know, but it couldn't have been good." Aang responded as they flew lower above the waves. Within minutes, they got close enough to see the remains of something floating in the water.

"There's someone in the water!" Katara shouted, "Looks like whatever it was destroyed their boat."

Aang brought Appa back around and landed with a splash in the water and began swimming toward the wreckage.

Jayden couldn't believe his eyes as a giant six-legged, white bantha-looking creature flew over his head and began circling back around. Just when he thought he was going to be lunch, he noticed a small human figure sitting atop it's head holding a pair of reins. _You've really lost it now, Jayden, _he thought to himself. The creature splashed down in the water and began swimming over towards him. _Well, any rescue is better than none at all, the Force smiles on me once again._

Once Appa had swam close enough to the person in the water, Aang retrieved his staff from the saddle and held it out to him. The man in the water grabbed onto it and Aang pulled him in with some help from Sokka. Once he was in the saddle, they were able to get a better look at him. He was a young man, a few inches taller than Sokka, with shoulder length black hair pulled back on the top and the rest left to hang freely. He was dressed in light tan clothing that looked a bit peculiar with a dark brown robe a few shades lighter than black worn loosely over everything. There were small pouches attached to his belt and a pack hung across his back.

They gave the man a few moments to catch his breath then Aang asked, "Are you alright? Anything hurt or broken?"

"No, I don't believe so," he answered in a calm voice between breaths, "Just my pride, i guess."

"Yeah, I bet," Sokka interjected loudly,"what kind of luck to have your boat hit by a meteorite in the middle of the ocean , right?"

The man looked up at him slowly with ice blue eyes and began to chuckle, "Fate laughs at us all at one time or another. I'm just lucky you came along when you did. Thank you."

"That's ok, we were chasing the meteorite anyway. I wanted to see what it was exactly, but i guess it found you before we could find it." Aang responded.

"So it would seem. Ah, forgive me for being so rude, this ordeal has made me forget my manners. My name is Jayden Sorne, pleasure to make your acquaintence." Jayden said offering his hand.

Aang reached out and shook it saying, "Well, I'm Aang, and this is Sokka and Katara, and my Sky bisons name is Appa."

"A Sky Bison you say, certainly a sight to behold. I've never seen anything like it, except a bantha, and they don't fly. Or have six legs."

"They are rare, Appa here might be the last one ali.. Ow!" Sokka broke off as Katara kicked his shin.

"It's okay, Katara," Aang said softly, "I know he may be the last of his kind." A look of depair floated acros the young airbenders face before being replaced by his usual smile. "So, which of the four nations are you from? I'm guessing Earth Kingdom, right?"

"I'm sorry, four nations?" Jayden asked.

Yeah, the Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads", Aang said as he counted them off on his fingers, "I'm an Air Nomad and Sokka and Katara here are from the Southern Water Tribe."

"I see, well, this is the first i've heard of any four nations. I must be much farther from home than I thought."

"Never heard of the Four Nations?", Aang shot a confused look at his friends.

"You're not some kind of Fire Nation spy are you?" Sokka asked accusingly as he studied the suddenly bizarre traveller.

"No. As I said, I've never even heard of these nations. Truth be told, i'm not even sure where I am. Tell me something though, why are you afraid that I'm a spy?"

"I'm not afraid. Who said I was afraid?" Sokka nearly shouted, coming upright from his sitting position.

"I apologize," Jayden said in a calming tone, hands held out in a placating gesture, "your voice sounded very concerned"

Katara interjected before Sokka could reply, "Forgive my brother, he can be a hothead at times. The Fire Nation started a war with the other three nations over a hundred years ago. They still haven't won, but they control a lot of the land now. We just need to be careful who we talk to. Especially since we're travelling with the Avatar." Katara motioned toward Aang.

"Katara!", Sokka shouted, "Don't tell him everything. We can't be sure he's trustworthy!"

"It's alright Sokka," Aang said, "I don't believe he's a spy. He's just an unfortunate traveller whose boat got destroyed by a meteor. And as the Avatar, it's my duty to help people. Besides, I can't explain it, but i feel a deep sense of calm about him. I'm sure he doesn't mean us harm."

Sokka sat back and crossed his arms. "Alright Aang, if you say he can be trusted, fine. But," he turned his attention toward Jayden, "if you betray us, you'll be sorry."

"Agreed," Jayden stated flatly, " but if i can ask one more question, what's an 'avatar'?"

Sokka slapped his forehead with his palm making an audible smack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok Folks, Here it is, Chapter 2. As an Added Bonus for the artists out there, I'm doing a bit of a contest. I'm looking for character art for the story. Anyone willing may send me a link to their submissions. The Winner's artwork will be used as the cover art for the story. Good Luck and happy reading.**

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A scarlet palm print showed between Sokka's fingers as he slid his hand down his face and looked at Aang and Katara.

"You've never heard of the Avatar?", Katara asked in disbelief.

"I'm telling you, he's gotta be a spy. No-one on earth is this ignorant." Sokka interjected.

"Sokka!" Katara scolded, "I'm sorry, you must have sailed very far to not know who the Avatar is or what the Four Nations are."

"That's fine, I apologize for my ignorance, but I have travelled a long way. Please, explain."

"Well," Katara began, "as you may have noticed, the Four Nations are all named after elements. People from each Nation can bend their natural element. I'm a waterbender. Well, sort of, I need someone to show me how to do it better. Aang is from the Air Nomads, which means by birth, he's an airbender, Only the Avatar can bend all four elements though, and Aang is the latest Avatar."

"Latest?", Jayden asked.

"Yes, in his previous life he was originally a firebender."

"His name was Avatar Roku." Aang said plainly.

"Oh I see, you're talking about re-incarnation. To my knowledge, no-one had ever been able to prove the theory."

The three friends exchanged glances. "That's how life works. It's a neverending circle, at least that's what the monks told me." Aang offered. Then a smile crossed his face, "Hey, wanna' see some sweet airbending?"

Jayden felt a sudden swelling in the Force as Aang quickly spun the air around him into a tight swirling ball then jumped up and perched lightly on top of it. "See?"

Jayden could feel the Force being turned and twisted around the airball. _Amazing, _Jayden thought, _he can command the Force with such ease and control the very air around him._

Aang let the spinning ball of air dissolve and blow outward in all directions, partially drying Jayden's wet robes.

"Most impressive," Jayden offered, " you say everyone is capable of feats like this?"

"No, only benders," Sokka said as he twirled his smallest finger in his ear, "Airbenders, Waterbenders, Earthbenders, and Firebenders, but they're the worst. They're the ones that started the war. That's why we gotta take 'em out", he finished as he drew and flourished his trusty boomerang.

"I see." Jayden could feel a certain contempt radiating through the Force from Sokka. _He must've suffered something terrible to feel that much hate. Probably better if I drop the subject, _Jayden thought to himself. "So you say you're a waterbender, uhm, Katara, is it?"

"Yes, but I'm not very good. i haven't been able to practice much."

"May I See?"

"Uhm, okay", she replied hesitantly. Standing up, she stretched out her arms toward the water around where Appa floated. She closed her eyes and slowly pulled her hands across in front of her in what looked to Jayden like a martial art form a Jedi may use. As Jayden watched, the water to the right of the saddle began to rise over them and flow across toward the other side. He felt a mix of worry and doubt wash over him through the force. Sokka was backed up against the edge of the saddle with a genuinely frightened look across his face. In the next moment , he understood why. Katara lost her focus completely and a small tidal wave splashed down over the saddle, completely soaking Sokka and Aang.

"Sorry!" Katara cried as she opened her eyes and saw what had happened. "I told you I'm not that good."

"Now we're all wet too," Sokka complained, "Way to go."

"Not to worry," Aang said as he brought his hand together and forced the air around him outward in all directions, effectively blow-drying them all, "it was still impressive."

"I agree, very impressive," Jayden said in a soothing tone. Then with a barely noticeable change of tone and movement of his hand, continued, "All you need is practice and training. I foresee you'll be a fine waterbender."

"You're right, I just need practice and training. Thank you."

"So you're a fortune teller now?", Sokka asked incredulously then continued, "We need to get moving if we're gonna get back to the earth kingdom before sundown."

"Yah, you're right," Aang said as he leapt up with a sudden gust of air to propel him, landing lightly on Appa's head.

"Appa, Yip, Yip!" he yelled almost joyously as he gave a quick flick of the reigns.

With a great roar, the beast lifted from the water and headed skyward. Jayden grasped the edge of the saddle and glanced around realizing there were no safety harnesses to be had. Turning, he looked down at the shrinking wreckage of his starfighter. _With only a short range communicater, I'll be lucky to reach out of the system. I may be here quite a while, _ he thought.

"I hope Haru and his father will be okay, them and the rest of the Earthbenders" Katara said abruptly, jarring Jayden back to reality.

"I'm sure they will be. You really gave them back their courage, Katara." Aang shouted back from his seat atop Appa's furry head.

Questions meandered through Jayden's mind, but he remained silent. Content to listen to them discuss recent events, only speaking up to respond to the occasional question. An old lesson from his master had resurfaced in his mind. "Jayden, it is wise to ask questions, but you will only get answers if you take the time to listen", Master Faerin had said. Jayden understood now the wisdom of that lesson.

He learned how they had found Aang frozen in an iceberg, how they had taken him back to their village only to have the Fire nation raid and take him, and how they had escaped and were now seeking a waterbending master to guide Aang on his journey to becoming the Avatar. They told the tale of visiting the Souithern Air Temple and meeting the Kyoshi Warriors, named so for Avatar Kyoshi who came before Avatar Roku. Though it was their most recent escapade that had led to them crossing the ocean and coincidentally crossing paths with a certain stranded Jedi. They had travelled to a prison facility to break out a newfound friend of theirs, a young earthbender named Haru. They had found several earthbenders being held there by the Fire Nation. Together, with Katara leading the charge, they had overrun the prison guards and escaped.

By all description, the Fire Nation seemed to be the most advanced in technology, though not nearly advanced enough to have a long range tight beam transmitter. Still, he wondered what advancements may still be mere theories on a flimsy(or scroll as they called it) somewhere. These things he pondered quietly as the wind and water flew by.

As the sun was making its descent toward the horizon, a large land mass cam into view and steadily grew as they drew closer to it. Soon they flew over a sandy beach and a lush forest. Aang set Appa down in a clearing not far from a well worn dirt road.

Without hesitation, Jayden leapt from the large saddle and dropped the eight feet to the ground, landing lightly. He was happy to feel hard terra firma beneath him after being in space, water and on a large flying creature for so long.

"Ya' know, there are simpler ways down," Sokka said as he slid down Appa's tail.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just happy to feel land beneath me again," Jayden replied as he picked himself up and straightened his robes. Looking at his attire, Jayden realized how he must look rather odd by comparison to the way they were dressed. _Need to find some different clothing if I don't want to attract too much attention here, _ he thought to himself.

The three companions set themselves to the simple chores of making camp in the clearing. Jayden helped where he could before excusing himself and strolling into the trees, taking his pack with him. To his benefit, the pack wasn't the standard issue gunmetal grey plasteel case most Jedi starfighters had. Instead, his was a dark brown leatheris satchel designed to be airtight and was apparently plain enough to have not raised the three companions suspicion. Once he was out of sight of the camp, he slipped out of his outer robe, pulled his lightsabers from his belt and wrapped them temporaily in the robe. Thus far no-one had seemd to notice them or question what they were. Jayden wanted to keep it that way for the time being.

His satchel contained a change of clothing, a few necessities, and a special pouch of his own design. It was a simple black pouch just big enough to hold his twin lightsaber hilts side by side with slip latches for quick access in an emergency. All in all, it wasn't much wider than his belt, which he took off and stripped it of the other pouches. Reaching in his satchel, he withdrew his spare change of clothes and was taken aback. The last time he had packed this satchel, he had been with Master Faerin.

They had been embarking on a special mission from the Council, one that would require some stealth. The clothing he had packed was nearly all black. The trousers were loose fitting for ease of movement, the shirt was also loose with three-quarter sleeves and an open collar, there was even a pair of low rise black boots made of nerf skin for comfort and a softer step. Jayden closed his eyes and enjoyed the memory of his Master for a moment before quickly undressing and changing into the fresh clothng.

He threaded his belt through the special pouch and put it on. Glancing around, he quickly unwrapped the twin hilts and slipped them into the pouch and latched it. He tossed the spare pouches and their contents into the satchel along with his Jedi clothing and sealed it. Jayden then grabbed his outer robe, that was nearly black anyway, threw it over his arm and strolled back toward camp. Reaching back, he pulled the tie from his black hair, letting in fall around his head.

He hadn't been gone more than fifteen standard minutes, but Sokka already had a small fire going and sleeping bags set up in a semi circle around it. Appa was resting near the treeline not far away.

"Come sit down, Jayden. We're fixing some dinner and I bet you're hungry after your day," Katara said with a smile.

"We'll crash here for the night and set out again in the morning." Sokka said as he ran the blade of his boomerang across a rock he had found.

"You're welcome to join us if you want," Aang offered with a toothy grin.

"Thank you," Jayden began, "for everything. You're all very kind, but it wouldn't be right to impose on you any more than I already have. So, come daybreak, I'll be setting out on my own , I think."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all for your kind reviews. Here's Chapter 3. A little more back story, a little more buildup. but the fun stuff is coming in the next chapter i promise you. As always please Read and Review, I'm always happy to get feedback from my readers. Thanks again to all and stay tuned, the best is yet to come. **

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"Leaving?" Katara exclaimed, "but why? Was it something we said?" She shot an icy glare in Sokka's direction.

"No, it's nothing you've done, I assure you. You've been very kind, but I'm afraid our destinies lie along separate paths."

"The monks taught me that destiny can be a funny thing. In an effort to run away from it, we tend to run face first into it," Aang offered.

"Your Masters were very wise, but I've caused you enough trouble."

"If you're determined to go, we can't stop you, but please, sit. Have some supper with us and get some rest. Maybe you'll change your mind by morning," Aang said calmly but with a touch of enthusiasm put into the last sentence.

"As you wish." Jayden sat cross legged on the ground as Katara dished out some food for him. She handed him the bowl and he couldn't help but catch sight of a sparkle in her eyes. _It's better I just move on_.

After supper, they wiped the dishes and replaced them in the baggage. One by one, they each laid down, starting with Sokka who quickly fell asleep, then Katara who simply rolled over and pulled the blanket up around her shoulders, and finally Aang who laid back and stared up at the night sky for a while before shutting his eyes. Jayden watched from his resting place until their breathing all seemed to even out, then he rose and wandered a short ways off to meditate.

He sat down, crossed his legs, and laid his hands on his knees, palms up with his fingers touching his thumbs. He let his mind clear and allowed the Force to flow into him. He suddenly felt awash in the Force, as though he were back out at sea. Never had he felt the Force's presence so strongly. _The Force is strong on this planet, _He thought to himself. He could still feel a darkness, but it seemed far away. He delved into the force as he had never done before, exploring how it filled the air around him, the earth beneath him, and even the water flowing in the creek not far away.

Jayden had always been connected to the Force, but not like this. This felt so much stronger than normal. It was as though all his life, he had merely felt light breezes in the Force, but now he was feeling tidal waves of energy.

Jayden had not been one to spend a great deal of time in meditation. He had focused the majority of his study on the art of the lightsaber. He could manipulate the Force to move objects, influence a weak mind, or sense an impending danger, but his strength had always been in the application to martial ability. He was one of a select few Jedi who had actually trained in all seven forms of lightsaber combat, but moreover, he was suspected to be the only one who had completely mastered all seven.

Deep in meditation, Jayden began to recall his training and some of the events along the way.

_Form I, Shii-Cho, was the most basic of forms taught to Padawans at a young age, and is where Jayden had initially showed his true potential. The masters let him begin training in Makashi (Form II) at a much younger age than most. Makashi was focused more on lightsaber to lightsaber combat. The Masters believed that Form III, Soresu, would slow him down, being as it is more defense based, but again Jayden excelled. Form IV, Ataru, became more of his specialty as it introduced the use of Force strengthened acrobatics. Upon becoming a Knight, it was admitted to him that he was second only to Yoda in his mastery of Ataru. Form V presented a challenge due to the fact that it was divided into two separate styles, Shien and Djem So. Shien being a more passive yet strong defensive form and Djem So being a more agressive form that relied on stength and power, but Jayden prevailed. It is said that Form VI, Niman, takes no less than ten years to master due to it's inclusion of aspects from all of the first five Forms. Having studied every aspect of Forms I through V, Jayden mastered Niman by the age of fifteen standard years. The only remaining form was restricted to Masters, those who had complete control of their emotions. Form VII, Juyo, and its extension that had earned the nickname "Vaapad", was a very powerful lightsaber form that didn't follow conventional lightsaber movements. Lightsaber strikes were quick and could come from anywhere without any regard for wheere the blade had struck from last. Vaapad had been created by Master Windu. Only two others had even attempted to learn it. Sora Bulq, who, rather than master the form, was, in fact, mastered by it. Soon after, he fell to the dark side of the Force. Master Windu's Apprentice, Depa Billaba, was said to be the only other who had mastered Vaapad, but she also fell to the dark side and was left in a comatose state._

_ As a Padawan, Jayden found a way to sneak into the training area, and was able to watch the Masters themselves practice their lightsaber techniques. He witnessed Cin Drallig, the Orders blademaster, performing Form VII, as well as Master Windu demonstrating Vaapad for the other Masters. Using the knowledge gleaned from several spying sessions, and through meditation on the movements, Jayden had in essence taught himself the basics of the form._

_ The Masters believed that Jayden was becoming too proud of his lightsaber skills, verging on arrogance. So, they arranged a sparring lesson in which Jayden was pitted against Master Windu. The point of the lesson was to humble the Padawan by proving "there's always a bigger fish". They couldn't have been more wrong. The duel began with basic attacks, blocks and parries, but soon moved into more technical attacks. Jayden made use of his agility by shifting into Ataru. Flipping and rolling with his attacks, he managed to put the master on the defensive. His advance was short lived. Master Windu transitioned into Juyo Form and by extension, Vaapad. Faced with seemingly dozens of blades attacking at once, Jayden used a Force-augmented backflip to greatly distance himself from his opponent. The Jedi Council member saw this as his oppurtunity to teach the intended lesson to the wayword padawan and pressed his attack, but Jayden wasn't as unprepared as the older jedi assumed. Jayden had sensed the transition as it happened, the backflip merely set him up. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Jayden coiled and sprang back at Windu, flying into his own style of Vaapad. Jayden's training saber became a complete blur right in front of Mace's eyes, then suddenly reappearing from all directions at once. Master Windu barely had enough time to jump sideways, but not before several of Jayden's blows made contact._

_ Coming upright again, Mace stared in astonishment at the young Padawan, who had dropped into a slightly imperfect ready stance for Vaapad._

_ "Where did you learn that?" he demanded, "Who taught you that stance?" Mace shot an accusing glare at Cin Drallig standing across the room. Immediately he realized that Cin was equally astonished. Several of the other Masters radiated shock through the Force. How had this Padawan learned this Form?_

_ "I learned it from you," came the flat reply. "I watched you demonstrate it to the other Masters."_

_ A bolt of shock ran down Mace's spine. He learned that well from just watching? He really is talented. In that instance, something inside the Master's head clicked. "Well, if you intend to practice it, you'd better learn in right. Your stance is off." Mace dropped into the ready stance for Vaapad and was met by a sudden mirror image in the young padawan. the slight imperfections quickly vanished as Jayden adjusted his stance to match the Master._

_ "Good, now let's see how well you can control it."_

_ With that, Mace launched into a flurried attack intent on unbalancing his young opponent, but was met with the same ferocity. To fully use Vaapad, the practitioner must open themselves to all of the force and make themselves a conduit through which even dark force energy may flow but not touch the user. One must actually allow themselves to take pleasure in the fight and relish the thought of winning, bending the Jedi code's "no passion" precept._

_ For all the youngsters ferocity and vicious attacks though, Mace couldn't detect any hint of darkness. His essence was as pure as the Force itself._

_ After several failed attacks, the match ended in a stalemate, neither one able to gain an upper hand. Master Windu had commended him and recomended to Cin that he be properly trained in Juyo, a privilege Cin himself only granted to a few select students._

Jayden was so deep in his meditation that he didn't feel the pair of eyes that had been watching him for some time now. Aang had awakened from a drifting repose and was now regarding him with a curious gaze. Choosing not to interrupt the travellers concentration, he laid back down and peered at him through a single open eye. Despite his best efforts though, sleep eventually won over, and he drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

In time, Jayden returned to his senses, and opened his eyes. The first rays of light were peering over the horizon. _Have I really been meditating all night? _Jayden thought to himself. Though a little stiff in the joints, he felt rested and refreshed as though he had slept for a full cycle. Jayden stood and stretched, trying to be as quiet as possible. Quickly, he gathered up his belongs. Pulling on his cloak and slinging his pack across his back, he made his way to the edge if the camp, being careful not to step on the flying lemurs tail, which twitched in random directions. He took one last look around the campsite, taking in the moment, and in an almost inaudible whisper said "May the Force be with you." With that, he turned and strode into the trees in the direction of the road he had seen the night before.

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Hours passed by and the sun rose proudly over the horizon, streaming its light and warmth onto the world below. A light that filtered its way through the overhanging leaves and poured itself onto the face of a sleeping warrior who had managed to drool on himself during the night. Snorting and yawning, Sokka sat up in his bedroll and stretched his arms out in either direction before wiping the drool from his cheek.

"Rise and shine everyone. We've got a lot of ground to cover today."

Aang leapt from his bedroll into a high spiral and landed deftly on his toes. "I'm ready!" he exclaimed.

Katara was slower to roll over and sit up. Wiping the sand from her eyes, she gazed around the camp and almost immediately noticed the neatly folded bedroll they had set out for Jayden. "Where's Jayden?" she asked quickly.

"I dunno," came a lazy reply from Sokka, "I haven't seen him since last night."

"You don't think he just wandered off do you?

"Well, he did say he was leaving out in the morning," Aang offered.

"Yeah, but I thought he'd at least stay for breakfast. Give us another chance to change his mind."

"Maybe that's why. Maybe he left so we couldn't change his mind."

"But that would mean that he wanted to stay," Sokka began," but he didn't. But if he had, he would've. But he didn't. Though he could've, he still wouldn't. So ya see, it's that simple!"

Both Katara and Aang stared at Sokka in bewilderment. Sokka started to explain again using his fingers, but was cut short by a certain lemur who had been flung through the air at his face.

"Give it a rest, Sokka." Katara grumbled as she picked herself up and started fixing her bedroll for travel.

Sokka went on about his business of prepping the camp for their departure, while Aang began setting up Appa's saddle. As Katara came up to throw her things into the saddle, Aang noticed a hurt expression pass across her face.

"Are you alright, Katara?" he asked sympathetically.

"I just thought he would have stuck around for a while. He seemed so nice, I thought he might have helped us somehow."

"Everyone has their own life to live, Katara. Each person has their own destiny. He's just following his." Aang said in a soothing tone,"but I have a feeling, we may run into him again someday."

Katara brushed her hand across her eyes, but Aang thought he had seen a tear forming in one corner. "Ya' think?"

"I know." Aang said as he gently took her hand.

"Time to pack it in. Let's get going, we're wasting daylight. What's going on?" Sokka exclaimed and asked in nearly the same breath.

"Nothing, just tightening that last strap", Aang replied, then Air Bended his way up to the top of Appa's head. Katara and Sokka both climbed up into the saddle as Aang grabbed the reins and yelled "Yip, Yip!" Moments later they were sailing over the trees and off into a bright new day.

As the day wore on, Katara's melancholy began to fade. Leaning out over the edge of Appa's saddle, she gazed at the white puffy clouds below. "Those clouds look so soft don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big soft cottony heap."

"Maybe you should give it a try," Sokka joked from his seat at the front of appa's saddle.

"You're hilarious," she retorted flatly.

"I'll try it!" Aang exclaimed and leapt from Appa's head, staff in hand. Laughing as he fell in to the fluffy white cloud below. "Yeah!" he yelled.

Katara and Sokka rushed to look over the edge. Mere moments later, Aang landed gently on the other side of the saddle, his clothing dripping wet. "Turns out clouds are made of water", he said as he set down his staff. bringing his hand together he bent the air around him outward, effectively blow-drying himself.

"Hey, what is that?" Katara asked suddenly, her gaze turned forward.

As the clouds ahead of them cleared, a long dark jagged mark on the forest below came into view.

"It's like a scar." Sokka said.

Shortly they landed in what had been a fine forrest, but was now little more than char and ash. A deep sadness came over Aang as he looked at the devastated forrest. _What had happened here?, _he thought.

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**P.S. Still looking for character art for this story. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to answer any questions and look at any art designs you may have. My DeviantArt name is JikachiKreft. Feel free to submit your artwork to me there.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Apologies, my friends, for taking so long to upload this chapter. Life has been busier than usual, plus I ran into a serious case of writers block on the lead up into the next chapter. I hope to have Chapter 5 done and posted by the end of the weekend, here's hoping. I am still looking for able artists to do some concept art for this story. As always, Please, read and review. I love hearing from the readers. and without further ado... here's Chapter 4! Enjoy!**

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The sun had risen to its apex and was on its slow journey back to the distant horizon by the time Jayden decided to rest and find food. After finding a shady patch of trees along the roadside, he sat down and began rummaging through his bag. He withdrew a small cantine and a pouch containing rations. There were only enough rations for half a dozen meals, or so he figured. If he were to stretch each one, he supposed he could make them last for a while, but he would need to find a town somewhere to re-supply. Which brought up his next problem, currency. _I'm going to need money of some sort, _he thought, _and somehow I feel Republic credits won't work here._

Sitting there pondering this new dilemma, he opened himself to the Force again. This planet was awash in Force energy. It flowed over every rock, every tree, every living thing, and Jayden could sense all of it clearer than he ever had. _I wonder if this is how the Force feels to the masters, _he thought, _I wonder how they would feel here on this planet. _

Amongst the random sensations, Jayden could feel each and every rock around him and five of them seemed to be moving. Far off to his left, he sensed what felt like five living boulders moving towards him carrying a bonfire in there midst. Jayden shook the image from his head and opened his eyes. He could hear sounds of movement from beyond the next bend in the road. He quickly put away the pack of rations and realized that he had already finished one. _Five left, not good, _he up, he brushed the dirt from his cloak and turned toward the sounds. He could see five beasts rounding the bend, each carrying at least one rider.

The beasts were rather bird-like in appearance, with armor covering their heads and necks. Metal shinguards were wrapped around powerful looking legs. Jayden had never seen such a creature before. As they drew closer, he got a better look at the riders, who were dressed in green and yellow uniforms that covered eveything but there faces, which were almost hidden under inverted bowl-like hats.

He could also make out a sixth person sitting behind one of the riders. This man was not like the rest at all. First off, he was almost naked, wearing only a loincloth and.. _chains!_

Jayden could see the mans face and it spoke to him of age and wisdom. Grey hair was pulled back into a knot from an otherwise bald head. An equally grey beard sprouted from his jawline with a goatee growing from his chin. The man had chains wrapped around his body with his wrists shackled across his chest. His legs were bound by rope and a pair of well-worn sandals all but hung from his feet. His expression, however, completely contrasted the rest of his appearance. Despite being tied, shackled and unclothed, he maintained a determined expression of confidence, and Jayden could sense a roaring fire beneath the man's calm demeanor.

Jayden could sense a fire of his own starting within him. Anger, an emotion a Jedi should never feel, began to rise in him at seeing the treatment of this man. Jayden took a deep breath and pushed his feelings away from him. He couldn't let emotion cloud his judgment. He stepped onto the road, directly into the mens' path.

"Halt!" one of the men yelled, "Who are you to block our path? Get out of our way!"

"My name is Jayden Sorne, and I will not move until you have answered my questions." Jayden respoded in a flat tone, trying to maintain control of his anger.

"Such insolence! That's no Earth Kingdom name. What are you, a Fire Nation spy?"

"That's the second time I've been asked that," Jayden said looking up at the man, "I'm still not sure whether I should be offended or not. My first question is this, who are you men?"

"Such a stupid question, We're soldiers of the Earth Kingdom and.."

"Then which of you is in charge?" Jayden interrupted.

"I am," one of the riders came forward, "I'm Captain Chen. What is it that you want beggar?"

"I'm no beggar, but what I want is information. Who is this man and why is he being treated like this?" Jayden asked, pointing at the prisoner.

"He is the once great General Iroh of the Fire Nation. He's a war criminal. He laid siege to Ba Sing Se, our capitol city, for over six hundred days. We're taking him there to stand trial for what he's done. Why do you want to know?"

"Even a criminal deserves a little dignity." Jayden reached out with the Force and continued in a soothing tone, "Will you at least let me clothe the prisoner?"

The captain hesitated for a moment, then replied, "He's a dangerous man. We can't let him loose. Besides, he doesn't deserve your help."

"Then what makes you any better than him, If you treat him like this? Let me clothe him."

The captain stared blankly at Jayden. Finally, he relented,"Fine, but nothing else, and you will be on your way after."

"Fine", Jayden said flatly and walked over to the mount where the old man sat. Reaching out to the man he said,"Let me help you, Elder. You won't try to escape on me now will you?"

Accepting the help down, Iroh replied, "Your kindness is most appreciated, young man."

Jayden waved his hand over Iroh's shackles and they opened of their own accord. A quizzical look sprang to the old General's face as the shackles fell free of his wrists.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

Jayden quickly removed his own cloak and offered it to the old man. "It's probably better you don't know. Please, take my cloak and clothe yourself. I'm sorry I cannot do more, but it is not my place to judge what I do not know."

Iroh took the cloak and wrapped it around himself putting his arms through the sleeves. Due to it being oversized on Jayden, it fit nicely on Iroh "This is a nice robe you have, very comfortable. Thank you, for your gracious gesture." Iroh said as he put his hands together and bowed in Fire Nation tradition.

Jayden bowed in similar fashion as a sign of respect. He then lifted the shackles and reluctantly placed them back on the mans wrists. "I am sorry, but at least you will be clothed for the rest of your journey."

"Do not worry for me, young Jayden. I have survived far worse than anything they can do."

"Enough Talking!" yelled the captain, who had stepped down from his mount. He stomped the ground hard and the patch of earth beneath Iroh's feet jutted upward suddenly, catapulting the old man into the air. He landed roughly on the saddle where he had been, eliciting a groan from Iroh.

"You've done your good deed for the day. Now be on your way!" the captain yelled as he jumped back up into the saddle of his mount. "Move out!" he commanded, and the soldiers complied, nudging their mounts into motion.

Jayden strolled back to where his bag lay on the ground and collected it. A quick glance showed that it hadn't been touched. As he turned to walk away, a smile spread across his face. With the exception of Iroh himself, he had successfully hidden the fact from the soldiers minds, that he had opened the shackles without their key. _How long will it take for them to realize it?_, he wondered.

The following day found Jayden continuing his search for a town of some sort. As he ambled down the road, an odd chill ran up his spine. He turned suddenly, looking for the source of the Force warning. A glimmer in the sky caught his attention. As it drew closer, he could discern it as a translucent blue creature, much like a hologram, with a human rider, but this, he could sense through the force. It was a great beast, a creature of legends, a dragon. Jayden had read accounts of such mythical animals, but never thought they truely existed. As it passed overhead, he recognized the figure riding the beast, it was Aang. _What in the blazes, _ he wondered to himself, _is he doing riding that thing? And why could I see through him? _Jayden had learned of the existence of Force apparitions through holocrons, but this didn't seem right. To become a Force apparition, one must first die, or so he thought.

At any rate, the apparition had gone now and was no more than a glimmer in the distance. Jayden added this experience to the list of complexities that seemed to engulf this world. He turned once again and continued on his way, searching still for the next town on the road.

Some distance away in an earthen basin, two men stood alone as a cloud of dust settled around them. Among the rubble of shattered rocks and clumps of dirt lay five soldiers of the Earth Kingdom, bruised and defeated, but alive.

"Where did you dig up that ugly old robe , Uncle?", the younger one asked.

"It belonged to a gifted young man we passed by on the road. He gave me his own robe so that I would have something to wear", Iroh said as he ran his hands over the fabric, "It's actually rather comfortable."

"Generous, now lets get moving. We need to find the Avatar, I saw his bison fly over as I was tracking you down, he can't be far."

Iroh brushed the dirt from his robe as he followed his nephew out of the hole they had been standing in. _I wonder where that young man is now and what he's doing?,_ he thought.

At that moment, Jayden was rounding a bend in the road that passed between two cliffs. Suddenly the view in front of him opened up into a gorgeous scene overlooking a valley ahead of him and the ocean off to his left. The path he had been following had been through the mountains, it seemed, and it turned now to the left and ambled down the side of the mountain toward the sea. Ahead of him lay a cliff, dropping down to green foothills that spread as far as he could see. He followed the path with his eyes, as it snaked its way down the side of the mountain and through the hills. There, off in the distance, he spotted a town nestled against the sea.

He reached into his bag and pulled out a small pouch. From the pouch he procured a small monocular magnifier. Looking through it, he zoomed in on the town to get a better look. He could see ships and various sailing vessels anchored at port. Several buildings dotted the towns skyline. Obviously, this would be a port city where ships could anchor, unload their cargo, or sell their wares. Certainly he could find plenty of supplies and necessities here.

"The Force supplies," he said aloud, not that anyone was there to hear him. _I certainly hope they have a place to bathe, _he pondered to himself, taking note of his appearance. _I could certainly use some extra clothing as well. _

The previous night had been rather chilly without his robe, but it had gone for a good reaon. He had drawn on the Force to warm him, as it was easy to call upon here on this planet. _But I shall still need to replace it, _he thought. This led his thoughts to his next problem, currency. All of these thoughts plagued his mind as he started off again on the pathway, now with a destination and a purpose, if only a superficial one.

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**Please, do a review, let me know what you think. If you're interested in doing concept art please let me know by way of your review, I will give you my deviantart info for you to contact me there with any submissions. Thanks and keep reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Apologies, my friends. This chapter took longer than I expected to get written. Apologies as well for the length of this chapter, I extended it to include a scene I've promised one of my readers since the beginning. The second half of this chapter is, in fact, the initial idea that sparked this entire story. (Yes, the previous 4 chapters have been, in essence, backstory to explain this one.) A reader asked me why it is that the best stories take forever to update. The answer is because sometimes they take that long to write. As always, Please Read and Review. I love hearing feedback from the readers. Without further ado, Chapter 5!**

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It took Jayden a day and a half to reach the edge of the small town he had seen. He stopped by a small creek to wash up a bit and change back into his more traditional Jedi apparel, minus the outer robe of course.

As he strode into town, trying not to attract too much attention, he contemplated how he was going to accomplish anything without some form of currency. He considered trading some of his technology for coins, but abandoned the idea just as quickly. _This is a world without electricity or technology anywhere near the level of what I'm carrying around. If anyone were to misuse it or let it fall into the wrong hands it could be disastrous,_ he thought.

As it was, he was strolling through and open air market near the docks. Clothing hung from racks, trinkets and bobbles lay out in display cases, and smells of various foods wafted through the air. A general comotion surrounded him as marketeers peddled their wares to potential customers. Voices filled the air with offers of special items, rare trinkets, and discounted prices, provided the customer made their purchases before the end of the day.

It was through this bustling marketplace that Jayden now strode, surveying goods from various dealers. His stomach reminded him of its presence each time a savory scent floated past his nostrils, or his eyes would fix on some delicious looking dish being served to a paying customer. It was in the midst of this raucous commotion, that he felt the slightest tug on his consciousness.

It felt as though a hair on the back of his neck was being gently but forcibly pulled. Jayden knew well the sensations the Force would bestow in times of danger. Cautiously, he expanded his awareness in the Force, casually searching for the cause of this warning. He continued his pace through the market, sensing his surroundings as much with the Force as with his eyes. There, a few meters away, he sensed the source of the warning, a mind filled with nefarious intentions, evil thoughts, and foul desires. Above all, Jayden sensed an unusual level of greed, coupled with a sinister intent.

Jayden scanned the crowd and caught sight of an unscrupulous character standing between a couple of merchandise stands. The man was wearing a green and yellow oufit, not entirely unlke the soldiers Jayden had crossed paths with. Long brown hair fell from behind the mans ears, which were adorned with excessively large golden hoop earrings. The mans face reminded Jayden of a Muun, a long faced species who frequently dealt in banking.

All too casually, the man stepped out into the marketplace. Jayden avoided direct eye contact, seeming instead to be distracted with the various items for sale around him. He could sense the man turn and carelessly amble toward him. Glancing sidelong at a vendors cart, Jayden purposely took a step toward the man.

If it weren't for Jaydens enhanced perception through the Force, he would not have noticed the slight brush of fingers reaching into the folds of his shirt, the slight touch on his side, only nanoseconds before they collided. Feigning surprise, Jayden stumbled as though to regain his balance. The man courteously extended a hand to steady him, then, with a well rehearsed apology and over-exaggerated bow, turned and strode away. Jayden could sense the mans frustration and disappointment, as well as overhear his hushed grumblings about a penniless peasant. What the pickpocket hadn't noticed was that he had left the exchange a few ounces lighter, instead of his would-be victim.

There, hovering scant millimeters from Jaydens fingers, was a small brown change purse weighted down with coins. Thievery, of course, was forbidden in the Order, but, Jayden thought, _Who better to steal from, than a thief? _In his current situation, and given the circumstances, Jayden thought that even the Masters would consider desperate measures.

Jayden found a quieter place, further down the street, before he dared to open the purse. He loosened the strings and sifted the contents into his hand. Counting quickly, he reached a total of twenty-five silver pieces, three gold, and a dozen or so copper. Not knowing the exchange rate or worth of anything, he decided to separate the coins, dropping the silver and gold back into the purse and stashing it in his bag. He dropped the copper pieces into a pocket within his inner shirt, and set off back toward the market.

Wandering through the town, Jayden found a small restaurant operated by an older gentleman and a lady who appeared to be his wife. The smells wafting from the building were irrestible and undoubtedly lured him in. Sitting at a bar like countertop, Jayden withdrew a few copper coins and laid them on the bar.

"What'll ya' have?" the old man asked from behind the bar. He had graying hair and a build that suggested he was still fairly spry for his age. The kind expression on the man's face was reminiscent of another old man Jayden had chanced upon.

"Forgive me, elder," Jayden began," but I am from a distant land and know nothing of this country's customs or cuisine. If I may, I'd like to ask you a few questions, in an effort to learn of this land"

"My, well don't you talk fancy?" the old man chuckled, "Hey Ming, ya' oughta' come hear this boy talk. The name's Pao, Jin-Pao, and my wife's name is Ming. What can I help ya with, son?"

"My name is Jayden, pleasure to meet you," Jayden offered, extending his hand.

"Well now, you sho ain't from 'round here with a name like that," the man retorted as he shook Jayden's hand, "ya' still ain' told me what I can do for ya'."

"My first question concerns your money, I've come across some pieces but confess I don't know their worth or much else about them."

"Well thats an easy one. I see ya got some copper pieces here. These are the lowest coins we got and the most common. Most any necessity can be bought with copper pieces. Next up, ya got your silver pieces. Them are worth a hundred copper pieces each. I've seen a few o' them in my days. Then ya got gold pieces. Each o' them is worth fifty silver pieces. Eh heh, I'd like ta see a couple o' them in my lifetime, could pay off this ol' place and retire. What else ya wanna know sonny?"

"What's good to eat and drink in this place?' Jayden asked with a quirky smile on his face

"Well I can fix ya right up there. The house specialty is beef and noodles, and my wife can make some fine jasmine tea. How's that sound?"

"Sounds good, how much?"

"Oh, it'll be about five copper pieces in all. Won't break your pocketbook now will it?" The man chuckled again and tottled off toward the kitchen.

Jayden took the oppurtunity to pull a few coins from the purse in his bag, having everything settled by the time the man returned.

The man came back shortly with a steaming bowl with two sticks hanging out of it and set it down in front of him. His wife followed with a small steaming cup and set it neatly beside the bowl. Jayden stared for a moment at the two sticks, wondering what he was meant to do with them. Pao seem to sense his confusion and intervened.

"Ya' see, these are chopsticks," he said as he picked up the two sticks and positioned them in his hand, "ya hold 'em like this, see? and ya pick up the food between 'em, like this." Pao demonstrated the proper way of using the strange utensils, then laid them back down in the bowl.

After a few clumsy attempts, Jayden managed to get a mouthful of noodles and sucked them up to the amusement of his hosts. He then sampled the tea which had a rather fragrant aroma and only a slightly bitter taste.

"Can you direct me to somewhere I can get a bath, clean my clothing, and perhaps purchase some supplies?" Jayden asked between bites.

"Well, Madam Lu-on runs a nice place just up the street a bit, wash your clothes while ya bathe. What kinda' supplies ya needin' sonny?"

"Clothing, food, enough to last til I reach the next town anyway", Jayden responded.

"Well most o' that ya can find down 'round the marketplace, though most of 'em tryin ta swindle ever'body. I'd talk to Gensu if'n I was you, big man, can't miss 'im, he'll deal ya fair."

Jayden finished his meal and tea and sat chatting with the old gentleman and his wife for a while as they cleaned up the restaurant. He stood up to leave and reached across the bar to shake Pao's hand once again.

"I thank you for all your help and advice", he said as he took a firm hold of Pao's hand, "you have been most helpful to me and I wish you both the best." With that, he turned and walked quickly out of the restaurant.

Pao looked down at his hand and his eyes grew wide. Ming took notice of his reaction and came to his side.

"What is it?" she asked. Her eyes followed his to the two gold pieces laying in the palm of his hand and she gasped. "Who was that young man?"

"Can't rightly figure, but one thing's sure, he's a good one", Pao said as tears formed in his eyes.

After a very relaxing and much needed bath at Madam Lu-on's, Jayden redressed in his preferred black attire and set off back to the market. This time, however, Jayden was paying more mind to the wares for sale, stopping occasionally to inspect or sample goods. He purchased a few articles of clothing that seemed to match that of the average townsperson, preferring passive tones rather than bright colors that would stand out vividly.

Amid the many vendors and merchandise stands, he found a black robe similar in cut to his Jedi robes, hood and all. He tried it on and found it to be an excellent fit. As he was asking the price, Jayden felt a familiar tingle run up his spine. Turning his head quickly, he saw the same scoundrel from before, running down the street, accompanied by several more hooligans. They were brandishing all sorts of weapons, knives, swords, spears, and various other implements that Jayden didn't recognize. Realization set in as he caught a glimpse of what they were chasing, or rather, whom.

_Aang! _He thought. _What in the blazes has he gotten himself into?_

"That'll be fifty copper pieces, young man", a voice echoed through his ears, "Unless you intend to just stand there and model the merchandise for me."

Jayden pulled a silver piece from inside his shirt and tossed it backwards at the lady as he took off after the raucous lot.

Trapped! They had run right into a dead end street. How could they make such a silly mistake? Now with pirates closing in behind them, there seemed to be no way out. They turned quickly to face their accosters.

"Now, who gets to taste the steel of my blades first?" the lanky pirate asked, flourishing his knives in the air.

"Nobody!" A voice shouted from above, as a shadow flew across the faces of the three friends.

A hooded figure in black landed between them and the pirates, hardly making a sound.

"Who dares to stand in our way?" the lanky pirate demanded.

Without hesitation, the figure threw back the hood revealing long black hair, partially pulled back from the face of a young man.

_Jayden! _Katara thought as recognition set in.

"Leave them be, and leave with your lives" Jayden said calmly.

"You're hardly in a position to make threats, stranger. You're not even armed" The pirate sneered, eliciting laughter from his comrades.

Jayden dropped the outer robe off his shoulders and let it fall to the ground. With one deft move, he unlatched the pouch containing his lightsabers, and drew both hilts simultaneously as he dropped into a fighting stance.

Raucous laughter erupted from the pirates at the sight of these worthless metal sticks.

"What can you do with those pathetic weapons? They don't even have blades," the pirates laughed.

"Last chance. Walk away." Jayden said in cold hardened tone.

"I guess you'll die first," the lanky pirate spat, brandishing his knives at Jayden.

_What have we done?_ Aang thought, _Now an innocent traveller may die because of us._

In the span of a heartbeat, Jayden flew into motion. Igniting his twin sapphire blades, as he burst forward. A flurry of dark blue energy trails encompassed him as the Force flowed uninhibited through his body. He slid to a stop in a kneeling position, arms crossed, lightsabers still humming, dark blue blades rising at an angle to either side of him, forming a V.

Another heartbeat passed, and Jayden sprang from his kneeling position in a high arching backflip to land once again , between the pirates and the three friends. He stood casually, facing the pirates, lightsaber blades pointed at the ground in front of him, still humming away.

As his feet hit the ground, the inferior metal blades of each of the pirates weapons dropped to the ground, leaving glowing orange edges where they had been severed from what remained of the blades. A collective look of shock spread across the faces of the pirate band, followed by horror at the thought that this young man had cut only their blades, on purpose. Each of them, in turn, dropped the remnants of their useless weapons and stumbled over themselves in retreat, the lanky thief leading the pack, arms flailing.

Jayden disengaged the blades and they retracted back up to the handles before vanishing from sight. Turning slowly, he faced the young Avatar and his friends. Astonishment shone on the faces of Aang and Katara, even Momo seemed stunned. Sokka, however, had a scowl carved into his face.

"You lied! You're a Firebender!" he shouted.

"Sokka!" Katara started.

"No!" Sokka shouted at her, "Look at those pieces of metal." He pointed to the still glowing remains of the pirates blades. "They're melted, and the only thing that can do that, is fire."

"Sokka, I'm not a Firebender. I'm your friend. I can prove it" Jayden said calmly. "Here." Jayden tossed one of his lightsaber hilts on the ground at Sokka's feet. "Pick it up, point the end away from yourself and thumb the switch." Jayden demonstrated the motion as he spoke. "And whatever you do, don't touch the blade."

Sokka slowly picked up the strange device as carefuly flipped the switch. To his amazement, a dark blue blade sprang from the emitter.

"Now if I were a bender, you shouldn't be able to do that, correct?"

Sokka slowly nodded in agreement, staring at the glowing sapphire blade. Slowly he turned toward Jayden, holding the blade in a basic guard stance.

"Okay, so if you're not a firebender, who are you? Where do you come from? And what are you doing here? You better tell the truth this time."

"I admit I haven't been entirely honest, for that I apologize, but I never lied. I simply let you believe your own ideas. Now if I might have that back.." Jayden said as he gestured to the humming lightsaber.

"Forget it, not until you tell us the truth."

"Sokka, just give it back to him and let's get out of here." Katara pleaded.

"Yeah, I don't think we wanna wait around for those guys to come back." Aang added.

Sokka paused for a moment to consider what his friend had said, then reluctantly lowered the blade and flipped the switch the opposite direction.

As the blade extinguished, Katara let out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry for my brother, the Fire Nation left some pretty deep scars on both of us. He's just overly suspicious of anything fire related."

"I understand, I know all too well the scars left by war." Jayden began in his usual calm manner, "Besides, there was never any real danger." With that, the silvery hilt leapt from Sokkas hand and flew to the open hand of its master. There, it hovered horizontally and spun slowly in circles. Again, astonishment washed across the trios' faces, before Jayden grasped the hilt and hung it on his side opposite it's identical twin.

The four quickly collected themselves and rushed off out of town with Aang leading the way back to camp.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I have several more ideas for where to take this in the future, but I would also like to hear some of your suggestions and requests. Nothing like raw ideas to fuel the creative fire. Still looking for concept art for this story... it desperately needs a cover image. Keep reading my friends.**


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